16 



(^osTS OF Tillage and Fertilizers. 

 Ustahlishing Cover-crops. — I Avill give in some detail the cost of 

 establishing Cenirosemn plnmieri as this is one of the most promising 

 covei' plants for rubber clearings. The seed is dibbled in at distances 

 of three feet apart each way at a cost of 88 per acre, 8 pounds 

 of seed being required. The price of seed, at present, is from 

 25 to 50 cents per pound, which is somewhat high on account of the 

 limited areas planted. The cost of weeding until the plant is well 

 established amounts to about ^3 per acre and if this sum is charged 

 to ordinar}- estate weeding it will be seen that the total costs amount 

 to fx-om $4.25 to iT'O per acre. The seed is sometimes broadcast at the 

 rate of ten pounds of seed per aci'e on a well-prepared surface, but 

 dibbling is preferable. 



Canavalia enslformis is best dibbled in three feet apart requiring 

 8 pounds of seed per acre or 15 pounds if broadcast. The cost of 

 Aveeding until Canavalia is established is higher than in the case 

 of Genfrosema, owing to the habit of the plant. 



It may generally be taken that large seeds such as those 

 mentioned above give the best results when dibbled in, Avhile small 

 seeds such as horse gram require to be broadcast. When bx'oadcasting 

 is the method of sowing, the land is first changkolled or forked to a 

 depth of about three inches, sufficient to provide a good seed bed, 

 and this will cost from .':52 to $3 per acre. 



Horse gram (Dolichos hijlortis) sown broadcast requires 12 pounds 

 of seed per acre, which can be oljtained in the local markets at 

 six to seven cents per kati. The cost of broadcasting is 25 cents 

 per acre. Sarawak bean (Doliches Hosei) is best established from 

 cuttings and this system of planting is slightly higher than dibbling 

 on account of additional cost of procuring and planting cuttings. 



Terracing. — A six-foot tei'raco made by three feet cutting and 

 three feet filling in costs 25 to 80 cents per 50 feet length, which 

 amounts to about $10 to $12 per acre allowing on an average 20 feet 

 between the teiTaces. It might be mentioned that the cost of 

 maintaining well-made ten-aces is small, considerably less than upkeep 

 of di'ains. 



BynamUe. — Sixteen cents per charge, inclusive of labour-, is a 

 reasonable figure, one charge per tree is generally what is allowed 

 but with heavy clays more may be required. 



Cultivation. — The following are the actual costs of various 

 methods of cultivation, conducted at Castleton Estate on a heavy 

 soil. Plot 1, three crops of horse gx'am were grown within a year, 

 at a cost of $17.45 per aci'e. In Plot 2, surface weeding was 

 conducted monthly at a cost of $10,71 per acre per annum. 1'he 

 treatment in Plot 3, was monthly weeding and changkolled twice 

 per year to a depth of four inches which amounted to $18.27 

 per aci'e per annum. Plot 4 was changkolled once ever}^ three 



